Rise of the Runelords - Elanus

Vargouille

Vargouille

Vargouille are grotesque flying heads with bat-like wings originally from the Lower Planes. Despite their otherworldly origins, they can be found throughout Golarion, especially near old battlefields, graveyards, or other locations that have seen much death.

A vargouille can kiss a helpless target by making a successful melee touch attack. A kissed opponent must succeed on a Fortitude save or begin a terrible transformation that changes the creature into a vargouille. First all the victim’s hair falls out. The ears grow into leathery wings, tentacles sprout on the chin and scalp, and the teeth become long, pointed fangs. The transformation is complete when the victim’s head breaks free of the body (which promptly dies) and becomes a vargouille. This transformation’s progress is paused by sunlight or any light spell, but stopping the transformation requires remove disease or a similar effect.

A vargouille’s low power and hideous method of reproduction make for a dangerous combination. Vargouilles are relatively easy to summon to the Material Plane, and once here, they can swiftly reproduce, creating more and more of their hideous kind from those who fall victim to their kiss.